Introduction

• The majority of rabbits presented with 'diarrhea' actually have an accumulation of uneaten cecotrophs around their perineum associated with the reduced ingestion of cecotrophs and/or the increased production of these cecal feces ('sticky bottom syndrome').
• The diet is the single most important factor predisposing in the development of soft pellets. Rabbits on a high-fiber, low-carbohydrate and low-protein diet (hay, plant fiber and restricted dry food) rarely suffer from 'sticky bottom syndrome', true diarrhea or enterotoxemia Enterotoxemia (Clostridiosis).
• Cause: inappropriate diet, obesity, dental disease, osteoarthritis, skeletal/visceral pain.
• Signs: soft cecotroph pellets caked around perineum, often foul smelling.
• Diagnosis: history, clinical signs.
• Treatment: treat predisposing conditions, eg underlying dental disease, spinal/joint pain, obesity; convert onto diet with high-fiber content with low carbohydrate and protein.
• Prognosis: excellent with successful dietary change; poor if no change in diet.

Print off the Owner factsheets on Dirty bottom sydrome and Feeding your rabbit to give to your client.

Pathogenesis

Diagnosis

Treatment

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Williams C S (1975) Letter. Outbreak of gastric trichobezoars in New Zealand white rabbits. Lab Anim Sci 25 (1), 114 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Saunders R & Rees Davies R (2005) Cecotroph Accumulation. In: Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine. Blackwell Publishing. pp 13.
• Harcourt-Brown F (2002) Digestive Disorders. In: Textbook of Rabbit Medicine. Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. pp 272-277.
• Brown S A (1997) Gastrointestinal Physiology and Disease in the Domestic Pet Rabbit. In: Proc Waltham/OSU Symposium for the Treatment of Small Animal diseases. Ohio State University, USA. pp 27-28.